Cardano Accelerator Program
Get the tailored support, expert guidance, and industry recognition you need to confidently grow your venture.
Applications for the 2026 cohort on Real-World Trust: Verifying Origins and Data on Cardano are now closed.
8 teams
In-person kick-off
Demo Day
CHF 10,000 contributions
10 weeks
Two-track Program
Built to support and scale your Cardano venture
Elevate your venture through a focused, two-track program that pairs tailored coaching with technical guidance, business workshops, and strategy sessions, led by the Cardano Foundation and its network of industry collaborators.
Core
- Full business and technical curriculum
- Tailored technical sessions
- Go-to-market guidance
- Regulatory workshops and strategic advisory
Spotlight
- Business development and marketing focus
- Messaging and positioning support
- Enterprise and investor connections
- Relationship building for funding opportunities
Fall '26 Cohort
Real-World Trust: Verifying Origins and Data on Cardano
We are looking for projects that use Cardano to make products and services more transparent. We want to work with startups building solutions to identify, trace, and prove the truth of real-world data.
Whether you are building any of the following categories or around them, we want to hear from you:
- Digital Product Passports (Tracking the life of a product)
- Verified Identity (Proving who is who)
- Traceability (Knowing where things come from)
- Responsible AI & Oracles (Connecting honest data to the world)
Ten weeks to transform your vision
A structured, high-touch program that takes selected ventures from early-stage to investor-ready through a track suited to where each project stands.
Phase 1
In-Person Kick-Off
Selected ventures from both tracks gather for an immersive onboarding week. Founders meet the Foundation team, fellow cohort members, mentors, and industry partners, then align on goals, milestones, and expectations for the program ahead.
Phase 2
Core Track
Core ventures work through a full business and technical curriculum for the length of the program, including tailored technical sessions, go-to-market guidance, and regulatory workshops, moving each product toward long-term scalability.
Phase 3
Spotlight Track
Spotlight ventures spend the same period sharpening business development and marketing, refining positioning and building the relationships that open enterprise and investment opportunities.
Phase 4
Milestone Review & Investor Prep
Ventures from both tracks refine their products and pitch narratives. Strategic advisory sessions and feedback loops ensure teams are ready for capital conversations and partnership discussions.
Phase 5
Demo Day
Ventures from both tracks present to a curated audience of investors, ecosystem partners, and institutional collaborators. The culmination of the program, and the beginning of the next chapter.
Phase 6
Mentoring
Access a network of seasoned mentors with deep expertise across niche markets, topics, and customer segments, available throughout either track.
Phase 1
In-Person Kick-Off
Selected ventures from both tracks gather for an immersive onboarding week. Founders meet the Foundation team, fellow cohort members, mentors, and industry partners, then align on goals, milestones, and expectations for the program ahead.
Phase 2
Core Track
Core ventures work through a full business and technical curriculum for the length of the program, including tailored technical sessions, go-to-market guidance, and regulatory workshops, moving each product toward long-term scalability.
Phase 3
Spotlight Track
Spotlight ventures spend the same period sharpening business development and marketing, refining positioning and building the relationships that open enterprise and investment opportunities.
Phase 4
Milestone Review & Investor Prep
Ventures from both tracks refine their products and pitch narratives. Strategic advisory sessions and feedback loops ensure teams are ready for capital conversations and partnership discussions.
Phase 5
Demo Day
Ventures from both tracks present to a curated audience of investors, ecosystem partners, and institutional collaborators. The culmination of the program, and the beginning of the next chapter.
Phase 6
Mentoring
Access a network of seasoned mentors with deep expertise across niche markets, topics, and customer segments, available throughout either track.
Past particpants
Meet our mentors
We are proud to work with some of the most respected leaders across the blockchain and venture ecosystem. Here is a snapshot of the mentors supporting the Cardano Accelerator Program.
Monique Tronchin
Principal/Founder, Interconnect Legal, PLLC
Tomas Richter Urban
Founder & Managing Partner, Gravity Legal
Nathaniel Acton
VP - Global Marketing, EMURGO
Fergie Miller
Director of Research Partnerships, IOG
Flavio Altimari
CRO - Chief Revenue Officer, Liqi Digital Assets
Dr. Natalie Tillack
Co-Founder // Tech & Product Marketing Focus, So So Scaled!
Jashar Seyfi
Co-Founder, FFTB
Ritam Gupta
Partner, NonceBlox & NonceVC
Jacobo Ochando
Head of Tokenization, Deloitte
Illija Radeljic
COO, NuNet
Bradley Allgood
GTM Lead RealFi, IOG - RealFi
Luis Barbosa
Managing Director, PCI Creative Science Park, European Innovation Council (Jury)
Marco Moshi
Founder & COO, Magenta Labs
Connect with Cardano's future
CAP ventures are selected for their technical rigor, market readiness, and alignment with Cardano's vision. Each cohort culminates in a Demo Day where finalists present to a curated network of investors and ecosystem partners. If you are an investor or firm looking to back compliance-ready, institutional-grade blockchain ventures, we'd like to hear from you.
Selected companies and agencies with deep Web3 expertise
Have a proven track record and expertise to share? Work with the Cardano Accelerator Program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about the program, application process, and what to expect.
The program is designed for ventures building on Cardano, as well as for Web2 and Web3 ventures bridging to Cardano. Each cohort introduces a focused theme and tailored criteria, shaped by what we learn from the market and the startups we work with.
The program follows a hybrid format, with the first week conducted in person and the remaining sessions, including the Demo Day, delivered online. Throughout the program, participants will attend 1 selected industry event in person.
Participating ventures will receive a starting contribution of CHF 10,000 and have the opportunity to present their solutions to a curated list of VCs and investors during the Demo Day. Cardano Foundation will also make potential investment capital available; however, investment from Cardano Foundation or other investors is not guaranteed.
All ventures that complete the 10-week program will qualify to participate in Demo Day.
No. During the 10-week Cardano Accelerator Program, ventures are not permitted to participate in other accelerator programs.
There is no guaranteed investment from the Demo Day, and the Cardano Foundation does not imply that participation will result in funding. Ventures will present their pitches to a curated group of investors and venture capital firms, with investors making independent decisions. Throughout the program, experts collaborate with ventures to enhance their prospects for success at Demo Day. In parallel, the Cardano Foundation actively engages with and brings suitable investors to the event to connect with participating ventures.
Selected teams must be capable of developing and maintaining their own products. Cardano Foundation experts will deliver tailored workshops to help participating ventures strengthen their Cardano-related skills and provide technical feedback and advice. Each startup will receive dedicated technical guidance throughout the program.
The first week is a full-time, on-site commitment for two representatives from each venture. During the remaining nine weeks of the program, ventures should plan to dedicate up to six hours per week for sessions and one hour for individual coaching.
No. The category can be adjusted manually during the evaluation process to ensure the best fit for each venture.
Ready to build on Cardano?
Whether you're a founder, investor, or ecosystem partner, we'd like to hear from you.